Can blockchain save Nepali folk music?

Copyright rules are in implementation but the piracy is still a major problem for the music industry. From cassettes to CDs to pen drives, music is now for everyone but the benefits for the real artists disappear in the middle before it reaches to them. In one way, the internet has helped the musicians to grow their stardom but in the next way, the music sharing through various growing apps and sites has led to an indirect effect on musicians. The major effect is on folk musicians. They are affected by both virtual and real mediators. The folk musicians who are disconnected from cities are also disconnected from the internet. They get almost no benefits of the internet, rather their creation flows via the internet to different parts but benefits from them are shared among internet sites.

Blockchain has recently entered to different sectors exponentially with AI and machine learning. In the present context to strengthen the rights of artists, blockchain is slowly entering the music industry. However, the separation between artists and music companies are not going to make this thing easier as music companies gain more rights with more benefits after the release of the song. To empower the traditional musicians and to preserve Nepali folk music, it is the need to apply some strategies to make it happen. When we can offer a direct benefit to our traditional musicians, they are certainly going to be benefitted. This means they can accept this work for their income and they get empowered with their inherited talents.

Blockchain can be one possible way to give direct benefit to our traditional musicians and to provide full rights to them on their own creation and music. This approach can avoid the problem of piracy too. The major problem is their disconnection with different technologies. So it is the need to help them as a social enterprise to solve this problem. Baja Nepal, a social enterprise aiming to create bajauney entrepreneurs dreams to target the same problem as a common digital platform for more than 10,000 traditional musicians. Among different strategies, it has chosen blockchain. But still, the question stands- Can blockchain be effective? Is it feasible in the Nepali market?

We have seen many failure stories of different blockchain companies and their impact. Music is the new sector where blockchain is targeting. Many companies are already doing the same thing. But the success stories are yet to be heard. Of course, if it becomes feasible, we can promote our folk music and our musicians. Time has come to introduce blockchain technology in this sector.